1. Field
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to classifying user activity in a mobile device.
2. Information
Many mobile communication devices, such as smartphones, include an inertial sensor, such as an accelerometer, that may be used to detect motion of the device. These movements may be useful in detecting the device's orientation so that a display may be properly oriented, for example in a portrait or a landscape mode, when displaying information to a user. In another example, a gaming application performed using a smartphone may rely on movements detected by one or more accelerometers so that a feature of the game may be controlled. In other examples, a gesturing movement detected by an accelerometer may allow a user to scroll a map, navigate a menu, or control other aspects of the device's operation.
Though useful in assisting with simple user interface tasks, output “traces” of an accelerometer have been limited from providing more sophisticated and meaningful assistance to mobile device users. For example, if a mobile device can detect that a user is engaged in a vigorous activity, it may be useful to direct incoming telephone calls immediately to voicemail so as not to distract the user. In another example, if it can be detected that a mobile device is in a user's purse or pocket, it may be advantageous to disable a display so as not to waste battery resources.